Iraqi police fired into a crowd of stone-throwing protesters angry over the lack of jobs in the southern town of Amarah on Saturday, killing at least six people and injuring 11, witnesses and a hospital doctor said. Earlier, a BBC reporter said seven Iraqis killed.

Hundreds of protesters gathered opposite the office where British security forces have a regional headquarters, saying occupation authorities had not kept a promise to find them jobs by the outset of January.

There were conflicting reports about what led the police to fire. Some witnesses said people in the crowd shot at police first, others that the crowd was only throwing stones when police shot at them.

Dr. Saad Hamoud of the Al-Zahrawi Surgical Hospital told The AP six people were killed and the hospital was treating 11 wounded protesters.

British soldiers sealed off the area and dispersed the protesters. (Albawaba.com)